


Lion, Tigers, Bears, Oh My!

by Dancerlittle



Series: The Many Adventures of Sammi & Race [3]
Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: F/F, Family, Friendship/Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-27
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:28:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24945376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dancerlittle/pseuds/Dancerlittle
Summary: Kat's sick. Jack begs Race to take Sammi on a uncle/niece date.
Relationships: Jack Kelly/Katherine Plumber, Spot Conlon/Racetrack Higgins
Series: The Many Adventures of Sammi & Race [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1802581
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	Lion, Tigers, Bears, Oh My!

**First things first, I don’t own anything related to Disney or Newsies. Second of all, this is a continuation of my “The Many Adventures of Sammi & Race” series. You may want to read the others in the series but it’s not necessary!**

**July 19, 1904**

_ Race had just punched in for his morning shift. His eyes scanned the lobby; there were the usuals in their normal spots. Mr. Richards was sipping on a cup of coffee while reading The World. Mr and Mrs. Marcus were on their way to the restaurant to have their breakfast. He smiled at the couple, saying “good morning” before returning to the stack of paperwork in front of him.  _

_ Shuffling the paper into stacks, he was distracted by the loud disturbance near the front door. Jack was just walking through, catching himself in a yawn.  _

_ “Race!” Grinning, Race loved the enthusiasm Jack always greeted him with. It had been a few days since Race had seen his brother. Jack came strolling through the lobby, stopping in front of him. “What brings you in here, Jackie?” _

_ “I needs a favor.” He panted, as if he had run to the hotel. He leaned against the desk trying to catch his breath.  _

_ Race nodded, almost willing to do anything to see the worried look disappear off Jack’s face. “Anything.” _

_ “Can yous take Sam for us this afternoon?” Jack panted,  _

_ Race grinned. “Absolutely. Sure Is can. What’s wrong?” _

_ “Kat’s sick and Is having issues keeping up both with hers and Samantha. I needs a few hours to make sure Kat’s okays.”  _

_ Race’s teeth dug into his lip, worried with concern for his older sister. “Kat okays? And ya, I can come pick up Sammi. We’ll have an uncle/Sammi outing.” _

_ “She’s got a spring cold and is miserable. Thanks Race. I knews I could count on you.” Jack held out his hand for Race to shake. “Whens you off work?” _

_ Shaking his hand, Race grinned. “I’m off at 1. Where should Is pick up Sammi?” _

_ “I’ll swing by the house at lunch and picks hers up. Come to The World and you can start your outing. Just have her home by dinner.”  _

Which led the almost 2 and half year old and her favorite uncle on a wild goose chase throughout the city, leading them right to the New York Zoological Park. Sammi had been talking nonstop since Race had picked her up from The World’s offices. 

“Unka Ace . . . sees today?” 

Race grinned, watching her hold his hand and skip along side of him. “Animals, Sammi. Lots and lots of animals. Yous excited?”

“YES!” she screamed, causing others on the sidewalk to chuckle at her excitement. Race chuckled, picking her up as they neared the Zoological Society. “Come here you little monkey.” 

“Not monkey.” She grumbled, watching him pay the entry fee, before perking up at the animals that greeted them. 

“Down, pease!” She gave her uncle a look, feeling herself slip down until her shoes touched the ground. 

Laughing, Race grabbed her hand before they headed towards the buffalos. He watched her eyes widen at the size of the animals. “Theys big, Unka Ace.” 

“They’s buffalos, Sammi and they can weigh up to 2,000 pounds.” Race explained. 

Sammi’s eyes widened at her uncle. “Reallys?” 

He nodded, taking her hand before they walked towards another pen. “What's that Sammi?”

“ROAR!” She yelled before dissolving into giggles. “‘Ions, Unka Ace! ROAR!” 

“How many lions are there, Sammi?” Race asked, knowing Jack and Kat were working on counting with the little girl. 

“Ones . . . twos . . . fives . . . threes . . . SIX!” She exclaimed, causing a laugh to escape his mouth, before he picked her up and tickled her sides. “Six whole lions? No way!”

“Des Unka Ace! Six whos lions.” Her eyes went wide as sweet laughter erupted from her open mouth as she wiggled trying to get away from his dancing fingers. 

Race gave her a look. “Is think we need to count them again, miss.” Picking her up, he pointed as he counted, “One, two, three, four!” 

“Unka Ace, deres one! Five!” One of the lions had been hiding in the shade. He followed his nieces finger and grinned. “Good eye, Sammi! Yous a regular lion spotter, justs likes your mudder!”

They continued through the zoo, pointing out animals along the way. Bears, giraffes, and tigers were all seen on their journey. Soon they came to Sammi’s favorite animal. Race looked at his niece, grinning at her initial reaction. Her eyes went wide, jaw dropped, and she bounced from foot to foot in excitement. 

“ELLIE!” Race picked her up and leaned against the fence, watching the elephants with Sammi. 

“Elephants are your favorite, huh Sammi?” She nodded her head, putting her finger in her mouth in wonder, watching the gentle giants move slowly within their enclosure. 

For the first time since he picked her up, Sammi was quiet. “How many elephants are there, Sammi?”

“One . . . two, unka Ace.” she whispered, not taking her eyes away from the animals in front of her. 

They stayed against the fence for over 20 minutes, too enamored to move from their space. People came and went around them but the two stayed and watched the majestic animals. “Yous ready to go, Sammi?”

Taking her finger from her mouth, she looked at Race with a slight nod. Laying her head on his shoulder, the two made their way out to the zoological park. Before long, Sammi was sound asleep on her uncle’s shoulder. 

**3:30pm**

Easing open the door to the apartment, Race slowly closed the door behind him as he balanced Sammi in his arms. Peeking into the kitchen, he smiled at Spot, who had a tea towel thrown over his shoulder. “Honey, I’m home.” 

“Hi love.” Spot came over. “Do you want me to take her?”

Race shifted her over to his boyfriend and flexed his arm that had since fallen asleep in the journey to the apartment. Watching Spot walk through the apartment to the couch, Race smiled at the tenderness he had with the little girl. Placing her down, Spot joined Race in the kitchen, pulling him into a kiss before hugging him. “Good day?”

“Jack cames to the hotel earlier this morning and practically begs me to take Sammi since Kat’s sick and he needed some sanity.” Race smiled. “I took her the zoo and she fells asleep on the way home.” 

Spot nodded. “Good Is glad you two had a good day. That little girl lookscha you like you hungs the moon.” 

“She lookscha the same way, Spot. Wes been around since she was born.” Race grabbed his hand and squeezed it. 

Spot smiled. “Yous the favorite uncle and none of us holds a candle to dat.” 

“Wes can have that debates forever.” Race gave him a look. “Wes both good uncles and fiercely love that little girl along with all her other uncles.” 

Spot rolled his eyes, squeezing Race’s hand. “Always da diplomat, huh?” 

“Yous wouldn’t have it any other way.” Race pulled Spot into kiss, just as Sammi started to stir on the couch. Looking over at the little girl, who when she lifted her head, her hair was crazy from her sleep. “Hi sleepy head.” 

She yawned, pushing her hair from her face. “Is tired, unka Ace.” 

“You justs got up sleepy. Hows you sleep?” Race smiled, watching her sitting up, walk over to him and crawl up in his lap, snuggling into his chest. “Goods . . . sees the animals, ellies, and bridge.” 

Race looked down at her. “Yous were asleep when we cross the bridge.” 

“Nuh huh! I was wake.” She lisped, lifting her head up at him. “Unka Pottie . . . wes saw ellies.” 

Spot’s eyes went wide. “Yous did? What elses didcha see?”

She crawled over to his lap and snuggled into his chest. “Ellies, bears, giraffes, ‘ions, tigres, and ‘uffalos.” 

Spot raised an eyebrow in Race’s way. “Translation, please?”

“Elephants, bears, giraffes, lions, tigers and buffalos.” Race smiled, running a hand through Sammi’s hair, trying to tame it. “We had a good day, huh Sammi?”

“Uh huh, unka Race.” She yawned again. 

Spot caught Race’s eye before running a hand on Sam’s back. “Shall wes start heading back over to Manhattan so we get her backs by dinner?”

“If wes must.” Race sighed, pushing himself up from the couch. 

Soon the toll was paid to cross the bridge, Sammi was in Race’s arms talking about the ellies, while Race and Spot held hands. They stopped in the middle of the bridge and just took in the sights of Manhattan. “Do yous miss it Race? Dos you miss the burb?” 

Shrugging, Race continued their walk. “Sometimes, I miss it. I think I miss the lodgin’ house mors than anything ‘cause of the boys. Wes had some roughs times in that house but a lots of goods times.”

“Sap.” Spot nudged Race, causing their hands to jerk in response. 

“Shuddup. Yous asked the question and Is answered.” Race smiled. “But mys life is pretty goods and I still sees the boys at least onces a month. And I’ve got a pretty special boy who Is can’t imagines my life without.” 

Spot looked at the ground as they got off the bridge and headed towards a familiar spot. “Sap; yous a sap, Racetrack Higgins. But yous my sap.” 

Shifting Sammi, Race pulled Spot into a kiss with a smile. “I love you Spottie.” 

“Loves you too.” Sammi grinned, looking between her two uncles. Race reached out and tickled her stomach, causing a string of giggles to escape her mouth. 

“Love you too Race.” He squeezed his hand. “Let’s go.” 

“Wheres we goin’?” Sammi looked around at the familiar neighborhood. “Mumma, daddy?”

Race shook his head. “Yous see them soon but I think Uncle Spottie’s gots a different idea.”

“Wheres to unka Pottie?” Spot chuckled at the pronunciation on his name but since she was adorable and little, he let it slide. 

He didn’t say a word but stopped outside of a familiar building. “Shall we goes inside? For olds times sake?” 

Race looked up and smiled. He hadn’t been in Jacobi’s since he had moved to Brooklyn with Spot. “Sures . . . Sammi, this places is real special.”

Walking in, they sat at a familiar table, sending Race back to the many meetings that were held in the small deli. It was amazing they were never thrown out due to the loudness those meetings would often result in. 

“Wells looks what the cats drug in!” 

Race’s face broke out in a grin. Sitting at a different table was Albert, Finch, and Elmer all grinning at Race and Spot. “Yous slummin’ in ‘hattan?”

“Funny, bringing Sammi back to Jack and Kat. Decided to goes down a little memor’ lane.” Race put Sammi on the chair beside him. “Sammi, remembers uncle Albert, Finch, and Elmer?” 

She shrinked into Race’s side, but waved at the boys. “Hi’s.” 

“Are you hanging out with Spot and Race, Sam?” Albert grinned at the little girl - he was the one she saw the most after Race and Spot, as he worked at the newspaper with Kat and Jack. 

“Wes saw animals.” Her eyes grew wide and a big smile crossed her mouth. “Unka Ace, down pease?” 

Holding her hand as she climbed down, she went over to Albert and crawled up in his lap and proceeded to tell him all about the animals they saw that afternoon. Spot grinned at Race, grabbing his hand and giving it a squeeze. “Yous good? Wants to sit with ‘em?”

“Just enjoyin’ the moment.” Race grinned. “We losts Sammi to them . . . might’well make sures theys behavin’.” 

Moving chairs, Race settled next to Albert and listened to Sammi’s stories while Elmer and Finch got Spot into a discussion on what’s been going on with them. “Yous bringing Sammi back?”

“Kat’s sick; I picked her up from The Worlds and wes went to the zoo.” Race shrugged. “Jack tolds me I needs to have her backs by dinner. This was justs a stop along the way.” 

They quickly ordered an apple and banana cream pie to share, continuing to let Sammi do all the talking. Albert grinned at Race. “Yous look good with her. Hows everything else?”

“Thanks! Good. Works good . . . busy at the hotel but goods.” Race smiled. “Hows you and the girl?”

Albert had been dating a lovely girl name Marie, whom was a factory girl in their burb. Albert had been dating her for almost 2 years. “Shes good . . . thinkin’ of proposin’ to her.” 

Race’s eyes went wide as he clapped his friend on the back. “Al that’s fantastic. Thats goods to hear, congratulations.” 

“Donts go celebratin’ yet . . . she hasn’ts said yes yet.” Albert held up his hands with a grin. 

Race smiled at how far the group had come in the past 5 years since the Strike. “Yous okay?”

“Just reminiscin’ on the lasts five years; hard to believes the strike was 5 years agos.” Race whistled and shook his head. “And looks at us now.” 

Albert snorted. “Whos would’ve thoughts you’d be in a hotel and Is at The World, with Jackie of all people? It’s been a crazy five years.”

The pies arrived and Sammi’s eyes widened at the dessert. “Want some Sammi?”

She grinned at her uncle before taking a big scoop and putting it in her mouth, some whip cream falling to her chin. “Yous can’t tell your father.” 

“Uh , Is thinks it's a little too late for that.” Albert said, looking over Race’s shoulder towards the door. 

“Racetrack Higgins, what are you feedin’ my daughter?” Jack stood in the doorway, looking at the back table with a grin. “Is shippin’ her to yours house if shes crazy tonight.” 

Sammi grinned, seeing her dad, merely scooped another heaping scoop of pie into her mouth. “Hi daddy.” 

“Hi Samantha. Did yous have a good time with Uncle Race and Uncle Spot?” He sat in the empty chair, running a hand over the messy hair of his daughter. 

“Uh huh. Sees ellies, bears, ‘ions, and tigers.” She grinned, whip cream around her mouth causing Jack to chuckle, picking up a napkin and clearing her up. “How’s Kat? Feelin’ any better?”

Looking up, Jack took note of Race’s concern. “Fever’s broke; shes just tired. I cames here to get some soup for her. Just happened to be luck thats I runs into yous.” 

“She took a nap after the zoo - probably ‘bout as hour, half on mys shoulder and half on the couch.” Race looked at Jack, who was grinning at something Sammi had said. “She was an angel.” 

Jack shook his head. “Of course she is. You adore Uncle Race, huh Sam?” 

“Uh huh . . .” She grinned, her dimples on full display. “Shall wes go see mumma?”

She nodded. “Mumma sick. Go home?” 

“Yes, we can go home.” Jack wiped her hands and face. “How about yous go say goodbyes to your uncles and we’ll go home?”

She hopped down, giving hugs to Spot, Elmer, Finch, and Albert, before stopping in front of Race. “Tank yous unka Ace. Loves you.”

“Yous welcome, Sammi.” He gave her a big hug. “Loves you too. Sees you soon?”

She tightened her arms around him. “Tomorrows?”

“Not tomorrows but maybe this weekend.” He chuckled at her automatic answer of seeing him the next day. 

Jack put a hand on his shoulder. “I owe you one. Thanks.” 

Clasping hands with his brother, Race grinned. “Nos worries. Love spendin’ time with the pipsqueak. Besides, wes had fun, didn’t wes Sammi?”

“Uh huh. Wes roars with the ‘ions daddy!” She jumped in excitement, Jack picking her up with a grin. “Yous and Uncle Race always has the best adventures. Thanks again Race. Fellas, wes see you later.” 

Watching the two of them leave the restaurant, Race grinned, turning back to the crew at the table and immersing himself into the conversations going on. He sure did love that little girl and her parents awful lots. 


End file.
